Leader of Lebanon’s Small Jewish Population Passes Away

Isaac Arazi, the former leader of Lebanon’s small Jewish community and advocate for the restoration of Beirut’s Magen Abraham synagogue, has passed away, as confirmed by his family and the community’s legal representative to AFP on Wednesday.

Bassem el-Hout, the community’s lawyer, stated that Arazi, who was 80 years old and had served as the head of the Lebanese Jewish Community Council, passed away on Tuesday and was laid to rest on the same day.

Historically, Jews have been a part of Lebanon for about 2,000 years. However, their population decreased significantly from around 22,000 before the civil war of 1975-1990 to approximately 30 today, as noted by Hout. This decline was largely due to migration to the United States, Brazil, and Europe, especially following the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Despite this, Hout mentioned that the Lebanese Jewish community maintains a strong connection to Lebanon, with many members returning regularly.

Arazi’s family placed an obituary in a Lebanese newspaper, highlighting his pivotal role in the revival of the Magen Abraham synagogue, one of the most prominent and beautifully decorated synagogues in the Arab world. The Jewish council led by Arazi supported the synagogue’s restoration through fundraising efforts.

In 2009, Arazi shared his enthusiasm with AFP about the synagogue’s renovation. The synagogue originally opened its doors to worshippers in 1926, and Arazi hoped the restoration would help rejuvenate the community.

The synagogue had been without a rabbi since 1977, as many Lebanese Jews emigrated, especially after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.

Lebanon still has a few former synagogue buildings, including those in the northern city of Tripoli and the southern city of Sidon.